These drawings show a simple design in fire tools. All have handles after the same design, slightly curved, with a ball as an end decoration. The making of the handle is described below, and this method, of course, applies to the making of all the handles of this set.
Handle:
Stock: One piece 7⁄8 in. of round stock fullered down 7⁄8 in. from the end to a thickness of 5⁄8 in. Knock the four corners down and round up into a ball. Five inches from this, fuller the piece to 5⁄8 in. thickness. Draw the piece out any length, keeping the thickness 5⁄8 in. Weld the 1⁄2-in. rod to the small end. The extreme end of the poker may be finished in various ways. It is sometimes turned at right angles to the rod. It may be pointed, flattened, etc. The centre of the handle is slightly curved. To do this heat the rod and reduce it, then place it upon the largest part of the horn of the anvil. With the hand hammer, hammer until the thinnest part in the centre measures about 3⁄4 in. in diameter. In this way the handle is reduced 1⁄8 in. at that point, and curved in slightly.
Shovel:
Stock: Handle, 7⁄8 × 8 in. round iron or soft steel. Rod, 1⁄2 × 10 ins. long, iron or soft steel. Shovel blades, rectangular piece of No. 20, soft steel, 6 × 9 ins.
Directions: Handle is made in same way as you made the handle of the poker.
Rod: The rod is welded at one end to the handle. The other end is flattened out to be riveted on to the shovel blade. To do this, upset the extreme end of the rod back about 1 in. and about 3⁄4 in. in diameter. Flatten this out and shape it up as shown by the sketch. Holes are drilled in for 1⁄8 in. rivets.
Shovel blade: Cut a paper pattern just the shape of the blade. Mark on the inside of the pattern the width of the edges to be turned up. Place the paper pattern on the metal and cut out the outline with a cold chisel. Now mark off the inside line for the turned up edges. Heat the metal in the forge fire, a little at a time, beginning at the centre part of the round. Bend it upon a round stake, tapping gently with the hammer until the blade is well shaped, according to your design. This size metal will buckle up the same as the copper did. Give as much care in rounding up the iron as you did to the copper. (See [copper bowl].) When the piece has taken on the shovel shape place the end of the handle to be riveted on the blade, and mark the holes. Drill and rivet the handle and the blade with 1⁄8-in. round head iron rivets. Notice that the shovel blade is not in an exact line with the handle and rod. It forms an angle with them. This bend is made after the riveting is done. Heat the piece where the blade joins the rod and bend it back gently either with the hand or by tapping it with a hammer, keeping the hot part of the shovel, all the time, on the horn of the anvil.
